Bottle-closure.



PATENTED JAN. 22, 1907.

A.. A.. OOWLES.

BOTTLE CLQSURE. kAPPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7,1906.

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sents a suitable iask of glass or other matei 'UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

ALFRED A. COVVLES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. BOTTLE-CLOSURE.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 22, 1907.

Application filed September 7, 1906. Serial No. 333.661.

tle-Closures, of which the following is av specification, accompanied by drawings.

This invention relates to closures more particularly for flasks, medicine-bottles, ars, &c., although the invention may be used in any connection in which it is applicable.

The invention has for its objects to enable a bottle, flask, or other receptacle of similar character to be closed and sealed by means of a lock having a certain combination which must be properly operated in order to unseal the bottle. Thus the owner of a drinking or dram flask, for instance, may close and lock the flask in such manner that it cannot be opened without the proper combination of the lock being known.

Further objects of the inventionwill hereinafter appear; and to these ends the invention consists of a bottle-closure for carrying out the above objects embodying the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts having .the general mode of operation substantially as hereinafter fully described and claimed in this specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in whichk Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a ask embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the cap or cover of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the rings, showing the slots therein. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a modiiication, showing the cap in section. Fig. 5 is an outside view of the cap or cover thereof. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of Fig. 4 on the line 6 6 of said figure.

The preferred forms of the invention contemplate a cap or cover that fits over the mouth of the iiask or other receptacle, and one, two, or more movable members, preferably in the form of rings having fastening devices for securing the cap or cover in place, constituting a combination-lock therefor.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the rings are carried by the neck of the iiask or bottle. In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 the rings are carried by the cap or cover.

Referring iirst to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a reprerial having a neck b, which may terminate in the mouth adapted to receive a cork c.

The cap or cover d, which may also constitute a drinking-cup, fits Vover the neck and mouth and is secured by the rings e, f, and g, which constitute a combination lock. Preferably this lock should be of simple and inexpensive form. As shown, the cap may have two vertical series of projections d, which register with notches c in the respective rings e, f, and g when the rings have turned to the proper combination for allowing the cap to be removed and replaced.

When, however, the cover is in place, as in .p

Fig. 1, and the rings are turned to destro)T the combination, the projections d occupy the annular grooves e in the respective rings, and the cap cannot be withdrawn because the projections d/ are held by the respective rings. It will be understood that the two series of projections d on the cap should not be exactly opposite and that more than two series may be used. If the two series are similar and opposite, there will be two positions in which the cap can be withdrawn. As usual in combination-locks the cap and rings are appropriately lettered or numbered, so that the proper position of the rings and cap may be designated and readily memorized as a combination of letters or iigures. The rings are of course mounted so as to be turned independent, and this may be done in several different ways. As shown,v

the lowermost ring g is interlocked with a stationary collar or ring h on the neck of the iiask. The superimposed ring f is similarly interlocked with the ring g, and the ring cis similarly interlocked with the ring f Each ring can be turned'readily upon the neighboring rings to form the desired combination and to lock or unlock the cap. The cap may be held in the hand and the respective rings turned relative to the cap, or the cap and rings may all be turned to give the combination. The cap is supplied with an annular bead or ring d, which covers the upper sur- IOO face of the ring e when the cap is in place in order that the notches e cannot be seen. Assuming that the combination for the opening of the cap is designated by the combination of the letters "F-A-C-T on the cap and the three rings, it will be understood that the vertical notches or slots e in the rings would be in vertical alinement with each other'and with the respective projections d' of the cap when the rings are turned, so that the letters upon the cap and rings read from top to bottomu F-A-C-T. In operation it is only IOS necessary to bring these letters in vertical alinement to enable the cap to be drawn 0H or put back, While at all other positions when the cap is in place it cannot be removed.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 the cap j carries the two rings k and Z of the combination-lock and' the projections are upon the cap and rings, While the three annular grooves in which the projections travel and the vertical slots through which they may be released are molded or otherwise formed in the neck of the bottle. Thus three annular grooves 'm are illustrated, in which the projections j of the cap'and the two rings, respectively, run, and there is also the vertical slot or groove n, through which the projections y" when in proper alinement may be drawn to release the cap. Preferably two such verticalslots n, placed nearly but not exactly opposite each other, should be employed, as seen in Fig. 6, and the cap and each of the rings will have two projections y" correspondingly placed nearly but not exactly opposite. The ring c is mounted to turn freely upon the cap 7' by means of the externally-projecting flange of the cap and the turned-over flange of the ring 7c, as clearly seen in Fig. 4. In a similar manner the ring l is mounted to turn upon the ring 7c.

An arrow-head a," or other index may be placed upon the bottle or a series of letters employed to operate with the combination of letters on the cap and rings. By bringing the combination of letters into vertical aline ment with the arrow-head or other sign'on the bottle the cap may be unlocked, or removed, or replaced.

Obviously some feature of this invention may be used without others, and the inven- I tion may be embodied in widely-varying forms.

Therefore, without limiting the invention to the devices shown and described and without enumerating equivalents, I claim, and desire to obtain by Letters Patent, the following:

1. In a locking-closure for bottles, flasks and other receptacles, the combination with the receptacle, a cap or cover therefor, a ring mounted to turn annularly upon but secured to one of these parts, a second ring mounted to turn annularly upon but secured to the first said ring, the other of said parts, to which the said rings are not so secured, being provided withlock members and the said rings being provided with cooperating combination-lock members, thereby constituting a combination-lock for the said receptacle and cap or cover.

2. In a locking-closure for bottles, iiasks and other receptacles, the combination with the neck, of a cap or cover therefor, one of said parts being provided with a plurality of movable rings, secured to said part and to each other, the other part being provided with lock members and the rings also being provided with coperating combmationdock members, thereby constituting a combination-lock for the said receptacle and cap or cover.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED A. COWLES.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH J. LocKwooD, E. C. BoisE. 

